Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-12

guard on q piece OF vacant ground within the
village for a few minutes, while one of the
natives went of to see the chief; and during
this interval l said to the men:
at il true, mates, that we nave been made
prisoners, but we must hope for the best. 1t
is most likely, from the looks of everything,
that We are being held for ransom. In case
We are separated here and one of us has the
luck to get away, let him take the creek for
his compass to get back to the river
"Price growled back in an angry tone, say
ing that bnt for me we could rave beaten
them of, but Keys was silent. l think he
was considerably overcome by our situation.
After a bit the native returned, and we were
separated n marched off in different direc-
tioDs. } was conducted to a small hut, which
appeared to have been empty for some time,
and left alone in the darkness. There was no
door to shut on me, nor was anyone left as a
guard, but l kept my eyes open as we entered
the village and knew that it would be impos-
sible for me to find my way out. I found q
bed Of leaves and branches, flung myself
upon it, and after a few minutes given to
thinking over the situation l fell asleep, and
it was sun-up before l opened my eyes. A
native had already entered the hut with my
breakfast, which consisted of a stew in which
the meat might have been monkey for all /
could tell or cared. He also brought a Gala
bash of water, some ground nuts Of pleasant
taste, and q species Of fruit resembling the
American mandrake. l was eating break
fast when I heard a great shouting and saw
men running, but it was half an hour before
learned the cause of the excitement. A ma
tive then conducted me to the house of the
chief, where 1 found Keys, greatly agitated.
On the ground beside him was a heap of
clothing which I recognized as the garments
worn by Price, and as I entered the hut Keys
called to me:
"'Oh, Mr.. Thompson, but Price has been
done for. He was in a hut next to me, and q
little time ago he made a break to get away.
[ think he must have wounded some Of the
natives. and that he gave them a sharp fight,
for they finished him off. l saw his dead
body as they brought me here.'
"rhe chief was not q bad looking fellow.
He had a droll and cunning look about his
fyes, and he watched and listened attentively
while we vera spanking. Near him stood .
native, who proved to be an interpreter:
He had evidently been in the employ Of thu
English, for he could speak fairly we'll At
4 sign from the chief he asked of us:
"'You write?!
"Keys shook his head, while I said yes. He
then placed before me paper, ink and pens.
and, after a confab with the chief, he said:
"'You write captain. One of you dead.
He buy others. Want muskets, powder,
hatchets, beads and cloth. He buy you in
two days. No buy you, you no get away.
Write quick. Canoe take him down to
captain
u caught the idea at once. We were to be
held for ransom. Sailor men use the Pen so
little that none of them can boast Of their
scholarship in that direction, but at the end
Of half an hour I had finished q letter to the
captain. telling him all the circumstances
and entreating him not to leave Us 10 our
fate. It was no sooner placed in an envelope
and directed to him than a native seized it
and hurried away, and Keys mi myself
were taken back to our separate huts. This
was about 8 o'clock in the morning. By
noon tho fellow was back with an answer,
which read:
"You must try to escape. I have no
authority to trade off the goods How much
do they want! Could a boat load of the men
release yoa?
THE chief and his interpreter were watch.
ing me as I read the letter, and they wers
quick to discover that l had bad newz. The
could not read writing, and they
must, therefore, take it - I gave it. l ex-
that the captain Esd only q few